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WALTER LUSE INTERVIEW
New Deal in Montana/ Fort Peck Dam Oral History Project
Montana Historical Society
OH 1095
SUMMARY
0 to 5 minutes
Walter's father came to area to homestead in 1915, family followed in 1916. Drought conditions
forced them out. There were no cattle then, all sheep. Worked on sheep ranches. Heard about Fort
Peck Dam project. Remembers uncle who told him about jobs that were being offered. Walter
went to Fort Peck to " register." Remembers buying clothes at store in Fort Peck because didn't
have any good clothes for winter. Started working the next morning. Tells what did. Shoveled
snow, cut brush " so thick a rabbit couldn't get through it." Used all the axes in town.
6 to 10 minutes
Burned bushes that were cut and piled. Describes bushes. Remembers when " army men" came up
as foremen. " Nice bunch of fellas." Operation of Caterpillar tractor. In winter, worked on building
railroad track. Started working in winter of 1933- 34. After railroad work, started on core drilling
which lasted a year. Describes nature of this work. Drilling down to get samples of soil sent to
laboratory for testing. Then put on dynamite crew, getting stumps out. Describes this work,
hauling and cutting dynamite, loading holes. Dangerous work, but " a little common sense goes a
long way." Called a " powder monkey." Earned 60 cents an hour. Was made ill by " gelatin" from
dynamite that got into his bloodstream, so moved to pump crew, describes work.
11 to 15 minutes
Continues discussing pumping work. Hauling dynamite, doctor came along because had heard that
they " were handing dynamite pretty rough." Remembers how frightened the doctor was to be so
close to the dynamiting area. Remembers how amused he was at the doctor who ran away when
thought truck loaded with dynamite might blow.
16 to 20 minutes
Continues discussion about doctor who accompanied men to dynamiting area. Eating lunch, a man
was loading a hole and asked for Walter to throw him a " primer" so Walter grabbed one and started
winding up like a pitcher about to throw a baseball, and the doctor ran as far as he could, afraid
there'd be an explosion. They got a kick out of this. He had to quit the dynamite work because of
illness. Moved to fill work, checking drag lines, traps opened up to let mud and other debris out.
Remembers big slide. Went down to talk to Doug Moore who was below the fill, to " go down and
check the line." Did this and then crawled up " 1000 feet" and sat down, then saw that pipe was
shaking. Barge in water stood on end and spinning like a top. " I knew I didn't have no business

Interviewed by Rick Duncan on 30 Jul. 1987 in Fort Peck, Mont., as part of the repository's New Deal in Montana/Fort Peck Dam Oral History Project.; Topics include his work clearing brush; his other jobs; the drilling business; and the slide disaster of 1938.; Resident of the Fort Peck area during the construction of Fort Peck Dam in the late 1930s.

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WALTER LUSE INTERVIEW
New Deal in Montana/ Fort Peck Dam Oral History Project
Montana Historical Society
OH 1095
SUMMARY
0 to 5 minutes
Walter's father came to area to homestead in 1915, family followed in 1916. Drought conditions
forced them out. There were no cattle then, all sheep. Worked on sheep ranches. Heard about Fort
Peck Dam project. Remembers uncle who told him about jobs that were being offered. Walter
went to Fort Peck to " register." Remembers buying clothes at store in Fort Peck because didn't
have any good clothes for winter. Started working the next morning. Tells what did. Shoveled
snow, cut brush " so thick a rabbit couldn't get through it." Used all the axes in town.
6 to 10 minutes
Burned bushes that were cut and piled. Describes bushes. Remembers when " army men" came up
as foremen. " Nice bunch of fellas." Operation of Caterpillar tractor. In winter, worked on building
railroad track. Started working in winter of 1933- 34. After railroad work, started on core drilling
which lasted a year. Describes nature of this work. Drilling down to get samples of soil sent to
laboratory for testing. Then put on dynamite crew, getting stumps out. Describes this work,
hauling and cutting dynamite, loading holes. Dangerous work, but " a little common sense goes a
long way." Called a " powder monkey." Earned 60 cents an hour. Was made ill by " gelatin" from
dynamite that got into his bloodstream, so moved to pump crew, describes work.
11 to 15 minutes
Continues discussing pumping work. Hauling dynamite, doctor came along because had heard that
they " were handing dynamite pretty rough." Remembers how frightened the doctor was to be so
close to the dynamiting area. Remembers how amused he was at the doctor who ran away when
thought truck loaded with dynamite might blow.
16 to 20 minutes
Continues discussion about doctor who accompanied men to dynamiting area. Eating lunch, a man
was loading a hole and asked for Walter to throw him a " primer" so Walter grabbed one and started
winding up like a pitcher about to throw a baseball, and the doctor ran as far as he could, afraid
there'd be an explosion. They got a kick out of this. He had to quit the dynamite work because of
illness. Moved to fill work, checking drag lines, traps opened up to let mud and other debris out.
Remembers big slide. Went down to talk to Doug Moore who was below the fill, to " go down and
check the line." Did this and then crawled up " 1000 feet" and sat down, then saw that pipe was
shaking. Barge in water stood on end and spinning like a top. " I knew I didn't have no business